Facebook Photo Of Chihuahua In Freezer Bag Leads To Felony Charges

Mary Snell and Britton James Engel

A Facebook users saw photo of tiny dog in freezer bag and contacted the Bernalillo County Sheriff's Office.

By H. Nelson Goodson

November 20, 2013

Albuquerque, New Mexico - On Saturday, a Facebook user saw a photo of a small Chihuahua in a Ziploc freezer bag posted in the social network. The Bernalillo County Sheriff's Office was contacted and on Sunday they located two people responsible for posting the picture on Facebook. 

Sergeant Aaron Williamson from the sheriff's department told HRQE-TV News that both Mary Snell, 41, and her son Britton James Engel, 21, were taken into custody and booked each with one count of felony animal cruelty.

Snell admitted she wanted to show, a friend, how small the dog named "Baby" was, but the dog wouldn't stand still for a photo. They decided to put him in an open freezer bag. Then Engel took the photo and posted it in his Facebook account.

Sgt. Williamson said, the dog's head was in the lower corner of the plastic bag and couldn't breath. The dog is fine, but no information was provided, if authorities will take the dog away.

Snell's neighbors say, that the mother and son have other pets and seemed to treat them well when they're outside of their apartment.